A hooded gunman is seen standing next to him, making death threats: "We demand the American forces withdraw from Najaf within 24 hours or we will kill this British hostage."

Shortly afterwards, the 23-year-old from London, wearing a bandage round his head, said: "I'm a journalist, I just write about what is happening in Iraq ... (I'm) James Brandon from the Sunday Telegraph."

Following the abduction, the Sunday Telegraph deputy editor Matthew D'Ancona said: "We are pursuing the situation with the greatest concern."

Witnesses said gunmen seized the journalist from a hotel in mainly Shi'ite Basra overnight.

Militants in Iraq have waged a campaign of kidnapping aimed at driving out individuals, companies and troops supporting U.S. forces and the new Iraqi interim administration.

Scores of hostages have been kidnapped by armed groups. Some have been freed but nine have been killed.